This week's joys
|
Hey there, friend. I hope you are well. I hope you’re taking some moments just for yourself. I hope you’ve been noticing and appreciating all the little joys and blessings in your life. This little ritual of mine, making a list of my weekly joys, has helped me to reconnect. To my body. To my breath. To the moment. Even when the moment feels all consuming. Even when it’s heartbreaking. Because it’s important to feel it all- both the joy and the despair. Feeling is what makes us human (and what preserves our humanity). I’ve found that allowing myself to see and appreciate all the simple joys in my day has helped me to not get stuck in despair. It’s helped me to remember that there are so many beautiful things in life, simple things that often get unnoticed. It’s also helped me to ask, “How can I show up better? How can I be a light when there is so much darkness?” Sometimes the answer is to offer a smile to a stranger. To give a few bucks to the unhoused person on the corner. To donate to organizations supporting the vulnerable and marginalized. Or to simply share what has given me joy each week so that maybe it’ll help you to notice the simple joys in your life as well. So, here I am- showing up with the simple things that brought me joy this week: Watching the blue jays flutter about in the willow tree outside my office window. Patrick reaching over to hold my hand while we were watching a movie (especially since he’s not a big hand holder). The giddiness that came when one of our hummingbirds perched on the tiny red flower feeder I attached to the arm of one of the deck chairs. So far, he’s visited it three times while I’ve been sitting there. Here’s to a weekend full of simple joys that help us reconnect to our body, our breath, and the moment... Courtney Other joys: If you’re looking to support organizations working to support, protect, and stand up for the communities under attack right now, I’ve compiled a list of a few: Acacia Justice seeks to deliver and advocate for meaningful and effective access to justice and freedom for immigrants at risk of detention or deportation. The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways (specifically culturally competent mental health resources), focusing on Black women and girls. The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention non-profit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. |
